March 31 - April 1, 2023
From the organizers:
“HayDay presents a story of curiosity, curiosity in wanting to understand more about the cowboys who still reside in the American south & southeast. It tells a story of how this group of Americans play a role in keeping the southern tradition alive in the 21st century. These ranchers and farmhands are part of America’s backbone, providing us with the essentials we need to live. The Modern Cowboy is history meeting the present, to impact the future. I have spent the last 4 years getting to connect with these people. Learning about their farms & ranches , their lifestyles & values, but most importantly their tradition, and why they keep it alive.
“Gem’s forthcoming solo show, HeyDay, is the dawn of a young, well experienced and traveled seeker returning to his home state bearing gifts and stories from the journey. It catalogs the epic true stories of contemporary Black Cowboys in the South and their traditions with a striking normalcy. The images present as visual truths perpendicular to the discredited legacies of Black people and Black experiences. Gem’s works in photography are riveting with action like a film paused right at the climax. The pause held in Gem’s lens is where he ushers the viewer to reflect on ordinary heroism and repatriated Black traditions. HeyDay reveals the dawn of a new way for the Black Cowboy to be known. Hazed in the glowing light of the sun the Black Cowboys appear without performance; instead they carry the poise of a rooted community requiring no external validation, generous enough to allow our sage to return to us with their stories.” – Mich Stevenson”
Reception: March 31, 2023 | 6–11 pm
8000 Meiners Road
Nechanitz, 78946 Texas
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